The Dark Dies, The Light Cries
by Aquailita
Summary: Ryou visits Marik one day so they could hang out, but things get dangerous and complicated. Marik is feeling angsty over a nightmare, Melvin wants a hug, Ryou wants to give it to him, and Bakura wants Ryou to leave. An innocent morning turns into a deadly battle between the Darks. And at least one of them might not make it out alive. Rated for character deaths and language. ToLaD
1. Chapter 1

Note: This is part 1 in the Tears of Light and Dark trilogy. Originally, I had made each one a month apart and each one was a single chapter. But that's changing now because I'm separating each of them into 2 chapters at the climax. I will not make another AN for each part where it splits (meaning the first chapter of each will be missing an EndingAN and each 2nd chapter will be missing an OpeningAN) because I am literally taking the chapters exactly as they are and splitting them in half, no edits (except for spelling and punctuation errors, but that's it). Story cover for the whole series is "Yami Face-off" by Jryitoo on DeviantArt.

~.~.~.~.~

**Hello, everyone! **

**While I'm waiting to update my other two YGO fanfics, I thought I'd let this little (actually it's going to be long) one-shot idea be born. An interesting and scary and sad little (again, not small) meeting between our four favorite Yamis and hikaris.**

**Includes one-sided tendershipping, possibly suggested angstshipping (if you want to look at it that way), _very MINOR_ abridged personalities, references to Marik's back story, and Season 2 references.**

**This is my first one-shot, so let me know how I did! This is going to be a long one because it just didn't feel right to cut it in the middle.**

**Story cover is "Yami Face-off" by Jryitoo on DeviantArt.**

**Anyway...**

**ENJOY~!**

* * *

Ryou screeched to a stop when he reached the street of his destination. He dismounted his bicycle and walked it down the block, stopping in front of a building.

He checked his watch. It read 9:30. Right on time.

Ryou secured his bike in the bike stand and looked up at the building in front of him. He looked over at Marik's window and smiled.

_Marik, I'm here! _he thought as he entered and began to walk up to Marik's apartment.

* * *

_Meanwhile~._

* * *

Marik was just getting ready for Ryou to arrive, but his mind was preoccupied with what had happened that morning.

He had woken up and remembered the dream he had that night. It was the same dream: the flashback. But this time it was worse.

This time, the eyes had seemed colder and more hateful. This time, he had felt more helpless and scared. This time, he had seen more blood. This time, it had felt more painful.

And to make matters worse, he appeared to have been attacked.

By mosquitoes.

"Frig those stupid insect-vampires," he had said as he went to the bathroom to apply itch cream to the three or four bites on his back. On the way there, he had scratched one of them absent-mindedly, inevitably rubbing against the marks.

As he rubbed the cream on the bites, he had rubbed against the marks more, wincing every time he felt a groove.

He was remembering again, something he didn't want to do. And all because of a few frigging mosquito bites. The dreams were bad enough. But those stupid vampires had to force him to feel the scars again. Just because they were hungry.

He snapped out of flashback and began getting ready. As he cleared a table, he saw the Millenium Rod lying there, out of place. He quickly decided to move it so Ryou wouldn't be alarmed by it. Ryou knew about the hidden blade in it, and always became nervous and uneasy around it. Not to mention scared of the powers of mind control it had. He had once said, "I don't really feel comfortable about involuntary mind control. I've dealt with enough of that in my life."

Marik knew he was referring to Bakura. And he knew how Ryou felt about him. So he always hid it when Ryou came over.

He was doing this now as he took the Rod to his room and began to place it on a high shelf.

He had been holding the Rod upright as he lifted it up. Then, somehow, the handle of the Millenium Rod slipped off the bottom and fell to the floor. Marik froze in shock as the sharp point of the hidden blade was revealed.

He had tried to not connect the Rod's being on the table to the dream and the bite incident that had occurred earlier. But now that the sharp point that was the cause of his nightmares was right in his face, he couldn't help it.

Memories flooded his thoughts. His mind became a panful and scary place.

He heart raced as he struggled to push them out. He tried to cheer up and remember Ryou's visit today, but he just couldn't fight it.

His heart sank in agony, and continued to sink.

Untill a voice in his head spoke to him. _"Let me,"_ it said. _"I'll take the memories for you. Let me take the pain."_

Oh, how Marik was tempted to comply, but he didn't want to do the thing necessary to make it happen. It was too dangerous. He looked at the clock. 9:30. Ryou would be here any minute.

_"Marik... Let me..."_

"No!" Marik shouted. He held his hands against the side of his head, dropping the Rod in the process. It fell the floor and became impaled in the carpet. "Frigging dammit! Shut up!"

_"Maaaaaariiiiik..."_

Marik fought the darkness, but his heart was too sad and heavy to win. He eventually faded out of conciousness.

But his body still stood. His hair was now sticking up in all directions in the back.

Melvin smiled evilly as he removed the Millenium Rod from the carpet and hid the blade in its sheath again.

"See Marik," he said aloud. "I'm the one controlling the body, controlling the brain, and having the physical pain. You really should trust me more. Now let's see..."

He briefly scanned Marik's short term memory and discovered that Bakura's host, Ryou, would be arriving soon.

"Aw. How nice. A little play date! I could really use a _hug_."

"The mosquitoes want blood, eh? Well so do I..."

* * *

Ryou arrived in front of Marik's door. He rang the door bell and knocked. "Marik!" he shouted. "I'm here!"

Ryou heard a click. Then he heard a voice from inside that seemed far away from the door.

"Door's open. Come in!"

Ryou smiled cheerfully. He turned the knob and entered the apartment. "Hey, Marik how's it going?" He looked around for Marik and froze when he saw the person standing there. He had the same front hair and skin tone and eye color as Marik, but looked completely different.

Before Ryou had arrived, Melvin had changed out of Marik's favorite midriff-revealing clothes and into his own more appropriate outfit. He now wore a black T-shirt and khaki pants.

Ryou had never seen Marik wearing those clothes before, and this person was slightly taller that Marik and had a different facial expression, so he assumed it was someone completely different who just happened to have the same hair and skin as Marik.

Ryou had never met Melvin before.

After the overall confusion and shock (and slight fear because the other guy looked a bit intimidating) wore off, Ryou found his voice. "Um, hi. I'm Ryou. Who are you? Is Marik here? We were supposed to hang out today."

But Melvin had seen Ryou before.

"Oh so _you're_ Ryou. Marik mentioned you. He said he didn't feel well so he's 'asleep' right now. I'm Melvin."

"Er..." Ryou was taken aback by Melvin's voice. "That's a shame. If Marik is feeling bad, I should probably go see him..." Ryou started off to Marik's room.

Melvin ran in front of his path. Ryou stopped three feet from him. "Not so fast. Marik said no visitors. However, he _did_ say he wouldn't mind me hanging out with you while he's feeling down for today."

"Uh... Well..." Ryou didn't exactly feel comfortable about this guy, but he saw no reason not to trust him. "I guess that would be okay. What did Marik have planned for us to do today?"

Melvin smiled evilly, but Ryou took it as a devious look and assumed that Melvin had planned some sort of prank or secret adventure for them to do.

"Well I'll tell you in a minute. But before we begin I have just one question..."

_Why does that line familiar?_ Ryou wondered.

Melvin stretched out his arms wide. "Could I get a hug?"

_What?_ Not what Ryou had expected. Again, that particular line sounded familiar. Maybe it was déjà vu. "Um, well okay. I don't see why not..."

* * *

Melvin smiled even more evilly on the inside. Suddenly he heard a voice in his head. "_No! Run Ryou! Run!"_

_"Shut up in there!"_ Melvin replied.

Marik watched helplessly through his body's eyes as Melvin attempted to convince Ryou to hug him. _"No! Melvin, no! You don't know what a hug is! You don't know how to hug people! Look it up in the dictionary for once in your friggin life! Hug means 'embrace', not 'stab'. Dammit why don't you go get a friggin dictionary?!"_

"Shut up!" Melvin yelled at him, restricting Marik even more.

Somehow, Ryou hadn't noticed that Melvin held the Millenium Rod in his right hand. From Marik's memories, Melvin knew that Ryou felt very uncomfortable about it. Understandable. After all, it had the ability to both control and torment bodies and souls.

But thankfully for him, Ryou hadn't noticed it.

_Poor ignorant little boy_, he thought.

But someone else had noticed it.

Ryou had come here without the Millenium Ring. But now, Melvin suddenly noticed it materializing around his neck.

_What the hell is this?!_

* * *

Ryou had just opened his arms and started to take a step towards Melvin when he heard a familiar voice in his head.

_"Ryou. Get away from him right now if you value your life."_

Ryou froze in shock and fear. _No! No, I left it at home!_ He looked down and saw the Millenium Ring hanging from his neck. "No! How?!"

_"Ryou, don't be a little idiot again,"_ Bakura said to him. _"You know can't escape me. And you know I can teleport the Ring. Now if you want to live then get the hell away from him."_

Ryou's fear turned to anger. He began yelling aloud at Bakura, knowing the spirit could hear. "No! I'm tired of you threatening me and torturing me! I can do what I want and you have no right to stop me! I can hug whoever I want!"

Bakura appeared next to Ryou in spirit form. He looked either worried or angry. Ryou couldn't tell. "I am not threatening you. I am _warning_ you! Get the hell out of here! Run _now_!"

Melvin finally spoke up. "Don't listen to him Ryou, he's just trying to control you again."

"Shut up, Melvin! You're trying to kill him! And me too! In fact, that's what this is all about, isn't it?! You want to kill _me_, so you're going after _him_! Well stay away from my host!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Florence!" Melvin said unconvincingly. "I just want to give the boy a hug..."

"No hug!"

"Shut up, Bakura!" Ryou screamed. "It's _my_ body and I'm taking control of it! You just don't want me to feel free and in control, you want all the power for yourself! Well NOT ANY MORE!" Ryou hated how Bakura always used his body to hurt others and gain power and trick people. He hated it. Now it was_ his_ turn to be in control. He turned to Melvin and walked closer.

"NO!" Bakura became tangible and violently pulled Ryou back a few feet. "I'm not trying to hurt you! I'm trying to save you and protect you!"

"Stop it!" Ryou squirmed. "Let me go!"

"Stop fighting me! Stop being so ignorant! He has the Rod, Ryou! He's holding the bloody Millenium Rod!"

Ryou's face transformed from rage to confusion and surprise. He looked over at Melvin. He was holding the Rod. But Ryou was too upset to care.

"I don't care!" he yelled to Bakura. His eyes teared up.

Bakura's face showed a mix of emotions that Ryou had never seen on him. Slight fear, sadness, and caring.

But again, Ryou was too upset to care.

He broke out of Bakura's grasp and ran over towards Melvin. He ran into Melvin's arms and squeezed him in a hug.

Melvin smiled evilly at Bakura and wrapped his arms around Ryou. "There, there, it's all over now. Don't cry," he cooed. Then his left hand moved toward the Millenium Rod and unsheathed the blade.

Bakura's eyes widened in fear for his host as Melvin prepared to strike. He acted quickly.

As Melvin's right hand moved the Rod toward Ryou's back, aiming for the heart, Bakura thrust himself into Ryou's body, grabbed his soul, shoved him into his soul room, and locked the door from the outside.

"_NO_! Let me out! Not again! Please!" Ryou shouted as he banged his fists against the door. Bakura looked at the door with as sad expression on his face. He kissed his palm and put it against the door, then took over the body.

The Rod stabbed Ryou in the back.

Blood splattered.

* * *

Melvin waited for Ryou to go limp in his arms, but didn't feel it. He actually felt Ryou stand up straighter. Ryou wasn't slouching anymore, but was still hugging Melvin.

Melvin looked at him in confusion. Then he noticed that Ryou's hair was a bit crazier than it had been a second ago.

_Wait, that's not Ryou's hair..._ he realized.

_"Bakura?"_ asked a voice in his head.

Melvin knew Marik was right, and didn't bother telling him to shut up. Bakura had taken over Ryou's body.

* * *

Bakura felt a sharp object painfully pierce his body. But pain was good. Pain meant feeling. Pain meant life.

Like with Melvin and Marik, Bakura was taller than Ryou. So the Rod had missed its mark by about six inches. More than enough distance between the center of his heart and the point of the Rod.

Bakura made a pained noise as Melvin removed the Rod; it seemed that Melvin had realized that Bakura had taken over and had survived because he was taller now. Bakura took three steps away from him.

He bent over in pain and held his chest, in the front even thought the injury was in the back. He stayed on his feet and hid his pain with a smug smile directed towards Melvin.

"Well I guess you missed, now didn't you?" he said. "I told you that you'll never kill me."

Melvin laughed at Bakura. He was weak now. Though he had missed the heart, Bakura was still injured and weak. It would be easy to kill him now.

.

Marik looked on in horror, both unable to take over again or move from his front row seat of the action. Being a friend of both, he feared for Ryou and Bakura. At least he wasn't thinking about _that_ stuff anymore. But did that really matter?

.

Ryou sat in his soul room, sad and scared and weak, thinking of Bakura. He had felt a tiny amount of pain in his chest, and interpreted it as painfully negative emotions, not knowing that it was an indication of what had happened to his body.

* * *

Bakura looked at Melvin and stood up straight. He ignored the pain, hoping that since he was controlling the body, the injury would heal faster than if Ryou had been stabbed. He just had to stall for time.

He hoped Ryou wouldn't straighten himself out and try to break out. Again. An annoying habit to have when Bakura was trying to keep him in.

Melvin laughed at him again. "Well, Florence. Here we are again, you versus me. But this time, there are no weak hikaris to help you out. Which is a shame because you probably feel just as physically weak now as they are all the time."

"You're not going to win again, Melvin. I won't let you." As he said this, he started leaning backwards, almost falling but still standing.

Melvin finished the job and pushed Bakura over. Bakura fell to the floor, more blood splattering as he landed.

Melvin walked over and knelt over him. "I sent you to the Shadow Realm once. And I can do it again. But I think it would be easier and much more satisfying to just send your soul to the literal graveyard." He grasped the Millenium Rod and aimed it towards Bakura's left arm, the one that wasn't holding his chest in pain.

As Melvin brought the Rod closer, Bakura shot into action. He had been faking half of the pain. Melvin should've realized that he wouldn't go down that easily.

He punched Melvin in the face with his left hand. As he did, the Rod scratched him anyway. When Melvin recoiled slightly from the blow, Bakura managed to wrestle the Millenium Rod from his grasp. He slashed Melvin's leg deeply, and his blood added to the red on the floor. Then he dropped the Rod.

Melvin was stong against physical pain. He recovered quickly. Noticing Bakura release the Rod, he grabbed it and prepared to strike again.

However, in the two seconds that Melvin had spent recovering and grabbing the Rod again, Bakura had taken off the Millenium Ring and was holding it up. He used his connection to it to make the prongs stand up straight and sturdy.

He held it out towards Melvin as a weapon. Melvin made another attempt to stab Bakura, but Bakura dogged and slashed him across the back with all five prongs.

Melvin cried out in pain and shock. It hurt him more than a weapon usually would. It was probably because it was an injury induced by an active Millenium item that wasn't the Rod.

But again, he recovered quickly. But he took less time to recover than he had taken to get past the pain itself.

He felt slightly weaker than before due to the blood loss.

Slightly. Barely.

Melvin turned around and faced Bakura.

Bakura stood up straight and faced Melvin.

* * *

The two stood there for a few seconds, staring at each other hatefully.

Though Melvin had several more injuries than Bakura did, Bakura's one stab wound was slighty more critical than all of Melvin's wounds combined. At the moment, they were both injured at about the same level. But that didn't mean that they were still physically equal.

The look in their eyes indicated that they both knew one of them was going to win in the next five minutes.

Meaning that in the next five minutes, one of them was going to die.

Both the Yamis stood face to face, preparing for the worst.

Both the hikaris sat trapped and alone, feeling the worst.

.

However, Ryou was starting to calm down and relax himself. He dried his tears and looked at the locked door. Somehow, even though it was Ryou's soul room, Bakura was able to lock it from the outside. He had never seen the key Bakura used, though.

Ryou was no stranger to this situation. He began to further calm himself down before he would begin pick the lock and break out again.

.

Marik had stopped paying attention to things. He could still see everything, but he focused on nothing. He waited for it to all be over.

He knew these two. They wouldn't stop untill one of them succeeded in stopping the other. Forever.

.

Everything was still.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, here we are again." Melvin said to Bakura smugly. "Somehow, you're still standing."

"What, you thought it would be that easy?" Bakura asked Melvin mockingly. "Don't underestimate me."

"So how do you want to end this, Florence? You wanna finnish this of physically? Or do you want to use a bit more magic?" As he asked his last question, he held up the Millenium Rod.

Bakura was still holding the Millenium Ring. He hung it around his neck again and smiled. "I think I'd prefer the second option more. You're on."

At some point, Melvin had dropped the other part of the Rod, the sheath. Having decided that their last fight wouldn't be physical, be confidently went to retrieve it knowing that Bakura wouldn't try anything on him.

He picked it up and hid the blade of the Rod. He walked back to his original spot and faced Bakura again.

"So, shall we start?" he asked.

"Yes, I'd like to get this over with," Bakura replied.

Melvin held the Millenium Rod out towards Bakura.

Bakura made the Millenium Ring float forward in Melvin's general direction.

Then they began.

The two of them unleashed their power and strength, trying to over power the other's Millenium item. Several times, they almost slipped and lost to the other, but they quickly became evenly matched again.

As the battle went on for a minute... two minutes... three... they both dripped blood on the floor from their wounds.

Their clothes were stained with blood as well.

Bakura's back had begun to heal slightly. But no noticable repairs had been made yet.

Melvin's six stab wounds were less critical so they were healing slightly faster than Bakura's. But again, no noticable repairs.

Whoever won this would have to get their hikari's body to the hospital fast.

The battle dragged on a fourth minute, and it finally seemed like someone was faltering, for real this time.

And it was Bakura.

His strain on his energy in the effort to overpower Melvin, his concern for Marik who was obviously out of action the whole time, his worry about his own survival, his concern for the state of both of their bodies which would need serious medical attention soon, but most importantly, his concern and worry and care for Ryou... it had all taken their toll on his mind. He was faltering.

He was losing.

He tried one last time to come back on top.

But he couldn't make it.

He weakened a bit, and Melvin took advantage of the chance.

Melvin over powered.

The Millenium Ring went limp.

Yellow squiggly lines appeared over Bakura's body, and he was thrust against the wall. He closed his eyes. He slouched down untill he sat on the floor.

Marik suddenly started paying attention. He saw Bakura against the wall. And he saw the yellow lines around him.

It was like that day all over again. He knew what came next.

But he didn't have the strength or the will to cry out.

Bakura opened his eyes and saw Melvin kneeling next to him, staring at him in triumph. He felt the hold of the Rod keeping him from moving.

Melvin finally spoke. "Well. It seems like we know who won this round. I'll give you two guesses." Silence. "It's me again!"

Bakura strained to respond. "I'm... going... to..."

"Do what? You're defeated. Now there's nothing stopping me from trying this again." He held up the Millenium Rod and once again revealed the blade hidden inside. He grabbed Bakura's shirt and forced him to stare him in the face. Their faces were two inches away. He pointed the Rod straight at Bakura's heart. "You know what comes next? Right?"

_Well _you_ don't_, Bakura thought. With his last bit of energy, he wrote something and left it in front of Ryou's door. Then he did something to the item he had in his pocket. And by 'the item /he/ had in his pocket', he meant that he put it there, not Ryou. Ryou didn't know about it somehow.

He was going to get rid of Melvin, without hurting Marik.

But he knew what came next.

He did one last thing. And then he let his body go limp. The only thing that held him up was Melvin's hand on his shirt.

Melvin smiled triumphantly at Bakura. Finally. "Well, this is it Bakura. Say hello to my father for me..."

Without another second of hesitation, he thrust his hand forward and the Rod pierced Bakura's chest.

* * *

Bakura took one last look at Ryou's body. The Millenium Rod was sticking out of his back and was stabbing his chest. But it didn't pierce his heart.

It hadn't killed the body.

It had killed the soul.

* * *

_Somewhere in the darkness, a door fades away forever._

* * *

Ryou had finally been able to pick the lock and was now exiting his soul room. He looked out and around, trying to find Bakura's soul room. Maybe he could search for the key and steal it before Bakura found out.

But Bakura's soul room was nowhere to be seen.

"That's weird. Did he move the door or something?" Was that even possible?

Maybe. After all, Ryou had never know that soul rooms could even be locked from the outside until Bakura had started doing it to him.

Ryou was about to search the hallway to check, when he noticed a piece of paper on the floor in front of his door. Curious, he picked it up and read it.

It was obviously Bakura's handwriting. It read:

In your pocket. Not  
metal, but Shadow.  
Use it. Sorry. Bye.

Well that was wierd. He put the note in his "pocket".

What did it mean? Did it have anything to do with where the door was?

'Bye.'...

Was Bakura...?

* * *

Melvin looked at the body in his hands. Bakura's face was still and devoid of life. "And you said it would never happen," he said aloud.

Melvin tossed the body aside. Bakura landed on his side.

He was about to get up when he noticed the Rod sticking out Bakura's back.

That was odd. The Rod's blade wasn't long enough to go all the way through his body. Bakura wasn't that skinny.

Was he?

Melvin pulled it out of Bakura's chest. He held it up to the body, perpendicular to his arm.

He was right. It _wasn't_ long enough to stick out in the back.

So why had it?

Melvin looked at the wound and was shocked by what he saw.

The Rod had pierced everything in its path.

Except the heart.

How was that possible?

Melvin pondered it for a moment. Then he got it.

Bakura had protected Ryou's body. He had sacrificed himself for Ryou's life by letting the Rod stab his soul instead of his heart. It had passed through him and out the other side.

A teleporter soul.

How touching. Not that it mattered. Because of his injuries, Ryou would die from blood loss if he didn't get medical help. And Melvin wasn't going to get it for him.

.

Marik had been in focus for the past five minutes. He had watched in horror as the events had taken place.

Before, he had been so upset and anguished that he had lost his voice. Now, he had finally found his voice.

"BAAAKUUURRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

.

In all the action, Melvin had forgotten all about Marik. But he just ignored him again. It didn't matter.

* * *

Ryou had finally found his way back to his body. He began to take over again. He tried to wake up

But before he could regain conciousness, the pain got to him.

He blacked out.

* * *

His body barely moved a centimeter.

* * *

Melvin removed the Millenium Ring from around Bakura's neck and stood up. He took two steps back and looked at the body in front of him.

Then he saw Bakura's body change back into Ryou's body.

That was the final sign that Bakura was gone for good.

But was _Ryou_ gone?

Was he was still locked in his soul room, as Melvin had figured Bakura had done to him?

Apparently not.

Because he was stirring.

* * *

Ryou took only a minute to regain conciousness. When he did, the pain came back to him. He put a hand up to his chest. He fought through the pain and examined the room. He noticed two things:

One: The Millenium Ring was missing.  
Two: There was blood everywhere.

Melvin's surprise wore off. "Well, look who finally woke up." At the sound of Melvin's voice, Ryou snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him. He drew back in fear.

Pain shot through him again and he winced.

He also noticed that Melvin was holding both Millenium items, one in each hand.

But where was Bakura? Was he in the Shadow Realm or something? Or was he...? Ryou hoped like crazy that it was the former. He didn't even want to think about the later.

"You, know, you should really thank him for saving you. Don't worry. You're going to die soon and then you can see him again."

Dead? Bakura? What?

_"Bye."_

Ryou reached into his pocket and took out the note that had somehow materialized in his physical pocket.

In your pocket. Not  
metal, but Shadow.  
Use it. Sorry. Bye.

He realized then what it all meant.

The door gone.  
The pain in his chest.  
The note.  
The goodbye.

It was true... Bakura had... He was...

He remembered all the bad times that they'd had. Well, bad for him. Bakura probably enjoyed them. But then he remembered some other times.

He remembered Battle City, on the blimp.  
He remembered earlier today, in this room.

Bakura had tried to protect him. He hadn't been lying. He really _did_ care.

Ryou sobbed at the idea that Bakura was gone forever.

He finally found his voice. "Mel...vin...you...killed...my..." He didn't finish his sentence. Instead he pushed through all the pain and found the strength to stand up.

After the inital shock at the sight wore off it was replaced by amusement. Melvin smirked at him. "Aw, are you actually feeling sad about him? After all that he did to you, you're actually caring about him?"

Ryou didn't answer. Instead, he reached for his back pocket for a small pocket knife that was there. Bakura never knew this, but Ryou knew that Bakura secretly kept it there. He always had it with him. He himself never used it. This would be his first time.

Ryou had finally deciphered the note. Bakura would want to get rid of Melvin, but not hurt Marik. He also knew that Marik was friends with the both of them. Bakura had transformed the metal of the blade to Shadow energy.

Ryou was going to avenge Bakura and free Marik.

The blade in his hand would do to Melvin the same thing that Bakura had made sure the Millenium Rod would do to him.

It wouldn't kill the body.

It would kill the soul.

* * *

Melvin looked at Ryou and the blade he now held in his hand. But he wasn't worried. He too knew of the pocket knife that Bakura always kept on his and Ryou's body. He knew that Ryou wouldn't use it. He didn't want to hurt his friend's body. He wouldn't dare.

Then why did Ryou look so confident and determined?

He tried to figure out what was going on. But before he could, Ryou ran towards him, knife help up.

It was aimed for _his_ heart.

"For Marik and Bakura!" he shouted.

* * *

Ryou hoped this worked. It should; Melvin seemed to be off guard.

He was going to avenge Bakura, free Marik, and if Bakura had done this right, leave Marik's body untouched. More untouched than the Rod had left him.

He made contact.

As hoped, the blade didn't seem to pierce the skin. But it did go in.

From the look on his face, Melvin had already figured out what was happening. But it was too late.

_Bye_, Ryou thought.

The blade hit its mark.

Melvin's face went still for a moment. He dropped the Rod and the Ring. Then his face went blank.

He fell to the floor.

* * *

Marik sat in silence, wherever he was. He had been zoned out again since the moment that Bakura's body had changed back to Ryou's.

But he snapped out of that now as he felt the darkness loosen around him. It didn't go away, but he felt that it wasn't restricting him as much.

He stood up and tried to leave the darkness. He made an attempt take control of his body again and fight off the darkness.

Little did he know that the second had already been done for him.

* * *

Ryou didn't let himself feel any emotion other than confusion at how Melvin's body sort of "fell" out of the knife. Then he remembered that it wasn't a real blade anymore.

After he had answered that useless question, he let himself feel other emotions.

He dropped the knife and fell to the floor. Having been only temporarily affected by Bakura's power, the blade transformed from its Shadow energy state back into its original metal state.

Ryou felt his heart flood with emotion and pain. Sadness. Anguish. loneliness. Grief. Pity. And lastly, guilt.

How did all of this happen?

Melvin was gone. But so was Bakura.

He was gone forever.

It's worse than the Shadow Realm. At least there is a possibility of being rescued from the Shadow Realm. However, there is no such escape from death.

Ryou continued to cry on the floor.

* * *

Marik opened his eyes.

Wait, what?

He really made it?

YES!

He _had_ successfully regained control of his body.

He tried to sit up, but felt pain shoot across his back and leg where Bakura had scratched him during his fight with Melvin.

Speaking of Melvin... Where was he?

Marik looked around. Melvin was nowhere to be seen. Had he been somehow sent to the Shadow Realm? Or was he...

As he looked around, he saw Ryou lying on the floor next to him, crying. Marik reached out a hand towards him and brushed his arm lightly.

Ryou noticed the touch and shot his head up. He looked in the general direction the touch had come from and was face-to-face with Marik. Yes, Marik was back. _Not_ Melvin.

The two looked into each others eyes for a few seconds before moving closer together, arms outstretched. Both of them felt the pain again, but ignored it and their bodies met in a sad and weak embrace.

.

Ryou and Marik cried together about all that had just happened.

They cried for each other, both of them were literally torn and broken. And still bleeding.  
They cried for Bakura, who despite the fact that he was kinda evil, he was a friend to both of them.  
They cried for the mental anguish they had both gone through.  
They cried for the innocence of the day that had been lost.

.

They finally broke away. They examined each other. Both of them were still injured and their clothes were blood stained.

Marik looked at Ryou and saw a stab wound right in his chest. Right where his heart was. But he obviously was still alive, meaning that Bakura had somehow kept him that way, right? He had also noticed a hole in Ryou's clothing on his back. Where he had been first stabbed by the Rod. But the injury itself had healed completely. Again, Bakura.  
Ryou looked at Marik and saw a deep gash on his leg. And it looked like he had been punched in the face. And when they had hugged, he had felt five slash marks on Marik's back. They felt familiar. Almost as if they had been made by the Ring...

Marik had more injuries than Ryou, but Ryou's was just as serious as all of Marik's combined.

But none of this had actually directly happened to them. It had happened to Melvin and Bakura. But they remained on their bodies even when they had gone.

Marik and Ryou looked at each other again.

Ryou wanted to speak up first to break the silence. But Marik wanted to and found the strength to speak up and say something.

"We... We're both alive."

"Yes," Ryou agreed. "But our Yamis aren't."

"Yeah, I know. Melvin's gone. But so is Bakura."

They both teared up again at the thought.

Marik spoke up again. "We should probably call someone to help us."

"Marik, do you think that your neighbors heard anything?"

"Ryou, you know them. Even if they did, they'll probably ignore it again. Besides, there wasn't much noise involved. Just..."

Ryou looked at him with pity. "You were able to see? What happened? No nevermind, you don't have to remember for me."

"I'll tell you later if you want to hear."

"Maybe. Anyway, I'm surprised Melvin didn't cut the phone line when he saw me wake up," Ryou said as he pointed at the phone on a table on the other side of the room.

"I'll do this," Marik said, referring to calling for help. He struggled to stand and ignored the pain again.

He got an idea just then. He looked around. Then he picked up the Millenium Rod. He winced at the blood on it. His own and Bakura's. He looked over at Ryou. When Marik had picked it up, Ryou had moved a bit away from him in fear.

Understanding, Marik went over to where the sheath had fallen and picked it up. He covered the blade of the Millenium Rod once more. Then he used its power to make a connection with one of his former Rare Hunters who worked at the hospital nearby. He only had the time or strength for one command.

"It's me again. Pick up the phone when it rings. Don't let anyone else do it." He broke the connection and dropped the Rod. Then he went over to the phone and dialed. The phone on the other line rang.

Just as he ordered, the person he had asked picked up. {"Hello?"}

"Jeremy. It's Marik. We need help. You know where I live. It's serious."

{"How serious?"}

"Melvin serious."

Jeremy was one of the few (former) Rare Hunters who knew what that meant. {"Yes, we'll be there soon."} He hung up.

Marik did the same.

"They'll be here soon," he said as he returned to Ryou's side and sat down. He buried his head in his hands. "This is all my fault.," he cried. "If it weren't for me, Melvin wouldn't have even been out. I had that dream again, and then my heart went all weak again. He over powered me. I told myself I would stay stronger than him. But I didn't. How could I let something as stupid as emotional weakness cause all this. I'm a friggin idiot!"

Ryou was taken aback by Marik's words. He knew what "that" dream was. He put an arm around him. "No, Marik. It's not all your fault. I'm to blame too."

Marik looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was such a little idiot. I'm the one who actually gave him that hug. I was so stupid and I let my anger get the best of me." He lowered his gaze. "Bakura even warned me. But I didn't listen. I just assumed that he was trying to rule my life again. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have been so gullible. I should've ran like he said. He was just trying to save me... And now he's..." He leaned his head on Marik's shoulder as he began to cry again.

Marik put his arms around Ryou and hugged. Ryou hugged back.

Both of them sat there quietly, eyes wet again, thinking about themselves, each other, Melvin, and Bakura.

Eventually they fell asleep, exhausted and hurt and sad.

* * *

_Later~._

* * *

They woke up again when the medical people came in. Luckily, Ryou hadn't locked the door when he came in earlier that day.

The two visibly woke up and stared at everyone. They were asked things like "What happened?" and "How do you feel?" and such. As for what happened, they wouldn't be sharing that with anyone beside each other.

As they were carried out, Marik and Ryou looked at each other and smiled faintly.

* * *

I** hope you 'enjoyed' reading.**

**I had a little fail when I typed so much because I was on a roll, but then something happened with the tab and I lost it. I was like FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU... and stuff. I re-did it, but it was harder cuz I wasn't on a roll anymore, I had to remember. DAMMIT!**

**R&R**

**No hate or flames if your favorite Yami died. I warned you.  
Not only was this my first attempt at a one-shot, but it is also my first try at something angsty and horrory. Also my first at doing the nicer, non-evil Marik. I hope none of them were too OOC.  
Let me know if I have any spelling errors or word mix-ups or stuff like that because I re-read my work several times and somehow I still miss those. Don't go scrutinizing every letter, just speak up if you see and obvious mistake. I really appreciate those.**

**Usually I would say "See you next chapter." and "BYEEEE~!" but it's a one(actually two)-chappy so there is no next chapter. So instead:**

**Thanks for reading!**

**See you next time!**

**BYEEEEEE~!**


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